The film opens in New York at the IFC Center first, in Eugene, Oregon on Thursday, and over the summer will expand to other cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and Washington, DC.

Whether you agree with the actions of the Earth Liberation Front or not, If A Tree Falls is a must-see film. Daniel McGowan, the main subject of the documentary, asks a question that underscores the entire film, a question that a lot of environmentalists may understand and to which there is truly no good answer:

"I'm not suggesting that the path of destruction is the right path," he said. "When you're screaming at the top of your lungs and no one hears you, what are you supposed to do?"